So Quiet - Most of my role has been outsourced! - minor rant

[suecsi]

I'm in a bit of a quandry at the moment.

I started with my current company - a start up - 2 years ago next week.  I have set up all the systems, HR, Purchase Ordering, Accounts, etc, and moved us from a 2 desk serviced office to an independent office currently seating 10 with expansion space for 25.

Since the move last year, the majority of my responsibilities have been gradually outsourced.  It has always been couched in pleasant words - that I was doing a fine job, but as the company grew they needed specialists.  I could understand it, particularly with the accounts - I could do the day to day book-keeping fine - I was doing the bank reconciliations, payments etc and then sending the data each month to our accountant to do the management accounts, payroll and adjustments.  Now this is all done off site by a different company.  My involvement is limited to stamping and scanning invoices, and then filing them.

We have upgraded our IT to have a central server and the IT company are now defining the spec for the laptops and setting up all the email etc for new joiners - something I also used to do.

The CEO hasn't travelled overseas since last November - for the first year I was here, he was away 2 weeks a month at least, with some complicated itineraries.

The chairman has taken to doing his own Board packs - which I used to do.  For the first 8 months or so, I was taking board minutes each month and preparing the packs, the usual board items - and then on meeting 9 they had to talk about Director renumeration so decided it was not appropriate for me to attend.  Ever since, the Chairman has taken his own minutes and just sends them to me each month to file in the Company register book.

There has been no one significant moment, but my role has almost just fizzled out ever since we moved to the new office last year.  That project took a significant amount of time, and I really enjoyed it.  Because we were in serviced offices before, I have had to take on the 'Facilities' side which one tends to take for granted a little in larger offices.  So the highlight of my day lately is emptying the dishwasher in the morning, switching it on at night, making sure we have toilet paper and coffee, and general reception duties.

I come from a senior Board level PA/EA background with years of experience, but have been made redundant twice since 2006.  My last role before here was a lovely one - a traditional EA role with some private work, great boss, thought I'd be there for years - and then he decided on a whim to retire (at 50) and go back to New Zealand.  The company took the opportunity to have a sort out and he was not replaced.  I started in the January and was essentially redundant by the May.  I took on a junior admin role in the IT department while I looked for another senior role, and found this one in September 2007.

Because the initial role had a lot of responsibility, my contract has a 3 month notice period.  So I can't even realistically look for another role, as no-one is going to wait that long for someone.

I have heard from one of the non-execs that our CEO - who originally recruited me, and has gradually whittled away my role - will be replaced soon, probably before Christmas, by an 'all-in-one' Chairman/CEO (I have been doing a little confidential work for him, arranging the interviews).  My hope is that he might need some more admin support, because otherwise I might just go mad!

I don't have the best of relationships with the original CEO anymore - he acts distant and barely speaks to me anymore - so I thought I would wait and see what the new chap is like, then get down to the basics and ask him what he expects of my role in the future.  If its not going to get much better than it is now, then I need to think about looking for something else.  But how on earth do I broach the notice period issue?  I can totally understand it in relation to the original role, but not to what it is now.

I know I am lucky to have a job in the current environment, but it is only a matter of time before something gives.  I am getting a very good wage to do what could be done by someone on half my salary - which is frustrating, as I love to be busy and challenged, and its just not happening.

Forgive the rant, but I needed to get this off my chest, in a place where people can understand.

Back to my book now - the phone has rung twice this morning - and my boss is on leave for two weeks.

[gee4]

Rant away.  I can understand how frustrated you are but perhaps this role was only meant for you to come in and set up processes and procedures without you actually knowing it.

As for a 3-month notice period well that can be negotiated.  A friend of mine was leaving his job to take up a new position with another company and had to give 3 months' notice.  He was able to discuss the matter with his boss/HR and after explaining he had accepted the job offer, they reduced his notice period to a month. 

At the end of the day if your employer knows you are leaving and have accepted another position, there really is no point in keeping you.  Work rate can diminish if staff are made to stay and complete their full notice period, so it's really better to let that person go to another job bearing in mind they have already decided to move on.

Are you planning on leaving or do you think you will sit tight for the new 'all-in-one' Chairman/CEO to be appointed?

[suecsi]

I think I will sit tight - at least if I leave after that I would have been there a full 2 years - and I will leave with my integrity intact, that I at least gave it a chance.

Chances are that there will be a good few months crossover between my old boss and the new one - and the old one will still be doing my performance review in September.  I know he is going to have a good moan about me not doing things as quickly as I should - and I have probably been dragging things out to fill the time, so that is not completely without merit.  I also find that I work much better and more accurately under pressure.  With all this spare time, bizarrely enough I am more prone to forget things.  So I am absolutely dreading the review.  I am making sure to dot all the 'i's and cross the 't's at the moment so he can't pull me up on anything recent.

It began getting much worse since I took two weeks leave (the first extended leave I had taken since I joined over a year before that) in November 2008.  Instead of an agency temp, the daughter of a friend of his covered for me.  At the time, the outsourced accounts company had a book keeper who was a bit scatty - and she was not being very accurate doing the books.  While I was away, things got lost.  They only came to light a few months later when we got chased for big invoices that were not on the books, and it totally messed up the cash flow.  I was blamed - I must have not sent through the invoice.  When I pointed out that the invoice came in when I was away, it was then my fault for not giving clear instructions to the temp (they were written with screenshots and everything).  As far as he was concerned, I was the common denominator and therefore it must be my fault.

Ever since he has second guessed or questioned everything I do (which is frustrating in itself, as he bought me in to make decisions and take things away from him.  If it wasn't for the long notice period, I may have left before now!

[rose.winter1980]

Forget the long notice period.  Yes, your company can technically sue you for breach of contract, but that would be incredibly stupid particularly in this economic climate, unless the person leaving would seriously damage the viability of the company in question. And, in any case, anything is negotiable.  I left my last job with a very short notice period (shorter than the "stipulated" one). 

I suggest that you stay where you are and at the same time keep a sharp eye out for other positions, then apply for any that come up.  There is so much competition for jobs that this makes sense.  If you don't find anything and the current CEO leaves and you get on better with the next person and have more to do, then you will be in a good position.  Lots of ifs in this equation, but I'm afraid that is a sign of the times right now.

It seems, on the face of it, that your post does not exist any longer, but no-one has the decency to say that and make the post redundant or to reframe the post.  Either way, the responsibility lies with the company.  And if they make you redundant, they owe you money.

[peaches2160]

I would sit tight and see how the new replacement and you work together.  Be proactive when he / she comes on board and take the intitiative to show what your skill set encompasses.  In the meantime, try to be the straight arrow and minimize errors, etc.  Write everything down so nothing falls through the cracks and then there will be nothing negative about your performance.  If they do lay you off, they will owe you money and you still come out on top although you will be back in the market looking for new employment. However, remember, when one door closes, another door opens.

[Katie G]

I've been in a similar situation.  I started a position in a "startup" type situation and was the prime mover and shaker in setting up the infrastructure, policies and procedures, etc. etc.  Heck, I designed and built our database!

Like you, as the department grew, my job shrank. 
And I also found myself dragging things out just to fill the time.  I totally understand how things get forgotten when you're bored stiff.  BTDT.   

I've recently been transferred to another division of the organization, Since I was transferred into a much larger department, my position now is a mere shadow of what it was.  Basically, I'm filing, taking messages, and preparing correspondence for signature.  Heck, I'm not even WRITING the letters anymore.  Someone else (a "director" of some sort) is doing that.  And, not to sound arrogant, I'm a better writer than she is.

So as far as "What To Do Next" I'm afraid I'm not much help.  It's frustrating.  I have a college degree, but none of the letters after my name are any "proof" that I can do what I do.  And, as everyone knows, in this environment, people are trying to hang on to the jobs they have...

One thing you might do, when updating your resume (which everyone should do periodically anyway) is make sure you go back and have a good long think about all that cool stuff you did in setting up the office, and make sure it's on there. 

I feel your frustration......

[msmarieh]

I love working with startups. I love the energy and enthusiasm and common goal and sense of shared sacrifice as you work towards building something great.

Sadly no company stays in start up mode forever. They either move on to "established" or they die. The good news is that your company has moved on to established. The bad news is that your role is no longer needed in the same way.

However, the fact that your work has been praised and that you continue to be employed there despite diminished responsibilities is a strong positive. Since you are prepared to walk away from this position anyway, if it were me, I would take a chance and be proactive...

Look around the office and see if you have some ideas for what work you could do and what work you would like to do. Make a list of recommendations for projects you could take over or launch new. Some examples could be launching an internal company newsletter, creating an online phone directory, building a library of business resources - who knows? But look around for a need that you could fill and don't just look at existing work - look to the future and what could help the company to grow and be more effective. Consider what training you might need to prepare for those roles.

Then, make an appointment with someone (HR, old boss, new boss? it's up to you, but someone with influence). Keep the conversation very positive. Discuss the fact that you love working for the company and that, now that the company is better established, you feel there are some new ways you could contribute to the future growth of the company. Emphasize how pleased you are to have been a part of the effort in building the company and participating in its success. Then bring up the fact that your role has evolved in some different ways as the company has grown and that you would like to reevauate your position going forward. Have your list of recommendations handy and begin a dialogue. Ask for feedback from management as to what they see ahead for your role.

One positive possibility is that they may be reducing your role in order to prepare you for something else. (Yes, I know I could be pollyanna here, but nonetheless it IS a possibility!)

[suecsi]

I agree with you - it has been fun - for the first 18 months anyway.  Its just that my boss seems to be a different person now, so I don't feel like I can talk to him anymore.  We don't have an HR department - in fact that was something I would like to take on, with the appropriate training.  We are literally 10 people so far, with accounts and IT outsourced (both of which I used to do).

Given I know (though I am not supposed to know the full details) that my old boss is on the way out - provided the new guy that has been meeting with the other directors accepts the role - I'd rather sit tight and wait until the new boss comes in and then sit down with him and discuss what my skills are, what I think I could do, and what he had in mind for the role.  I'm just hoping that my old boss doesn't 'poison' my new one against me - as we haven't been getting on so well.  My approach to that, if it happens, is to be pretty straight and say that I think the two of us need to work together for a while so that new boss can draw his own conclusions and form his own opinion.

Whatever happens - here or somewhere else - I think my future lies beyond my current boss's tenure, when I can make a fresh start.

[suecsi]

Thought I'd update:-

Was speaking to one of the non-exec directors who has been involved in the recruitment of the new guy (and without whom I wouldn't have known all I do) and he has made it clear that he thinks new boss will need considerably more support than old boss - who thought PA's were just a status symbol.

I'm hoping this is the case - so I can sit down with new boss and say what I am capable of, what he needs and expects, and see where we go.

Old boss is back from annual leave on Monday, so will be interesting to see how things pan out.

[suecsi]

Latest update:-

Tried to look surprised this morning when we were all called in to a meeting for old boss to announce he would be leaving and replaced by new boss (whose name I already knew, as I had arranged his interview).

So now down to the logistics of getting new boss on board and eventually I will get to sit down and work things out.

Old boss will be gone in a month, which is quicker than I had expected.  Bizarrely enough, even though we have had our differences, I felt a little tearful, which was not the reaction I expected of myself.

[peaches2160]

Good luck.  This will be a great opportunity for you.  Change is good.

Remember, when it comes to the office grapevine, "A dog that brings a bone, carries a bone".

[suecsi]

So far so good - new boss is MUCH better than old boss - for a start he needs/wants the PA support that I can offer him, so now my days are nice and full.  It is also better for my diet as when I was bored I'd start eating lunch dead at 12, and then be hungry again at 3 and snack on the way home.  Now I am so busy that I don't stop till 1pm and I don't get too many chances to stop and snack.  What I eat is spaced out through the day more, so I don't get the mid afternoon munchies.

It is my 2 year anniversary this Thursday (10th September) and for the first time in about 8 months, I actually feel positive about my future here.

[msmarieh]

Congratulations to you! What a wonderful turnout!

[Katie G]

Good news, indeed....

I now have "meet the new boss...." running through my head.  Except this guy is NOT "same as the old boss...."  Thank heavens!

[peaches2160]

Sounds like it worked in your favor to sit tight and be patient.  Much success in your new challenging role with the new boss!